A shy but clever university student killed himself in his halls of residence after failing to adapt to college life, an inquest heard.

Andrew Stoney, 19, from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, had already dropped out of one university course when he enrolled to do an engineering degree at the University of Manchester last September.

He was said to have made friends with his peers and be focused on his studies, even telling his parents he wanted to travel back from Christmas break a week early so he could revise in peace.

However, on the first day of the new term in January, the teenager was found hanged in his dormitory by security guards after desperate calls from his parents who hadn't heard from him.

Shy but clever Andrew Stoney, 19, from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, hanged himself in his halls of residence at the University of Manchester on the first day back after Christmas break after struggling to adapt to student life

An inquest in Manchester into his death has now heard how Andrew had been a gifted and intelligent student but found university life 'very difficult' and struggled with the social scene.

His scientist father, Richard Stoney, 56, who is a director of a firm which makes medical devices, said: 'He was very shy around people, he wasn't very sociable until he got to know someone.

'He was a very intelligent boy and at school he had areas of great intelligence. His brain worked faster than the rest of his body.

'He was fine communicating vocally but was weak in the planning phase. That was quite frustrating for him.

'He enjoyed playing sports such as cricket and socialised with friends. He had got into a habit of meeting up with his friends on Tuesday's to go to the pub and do the pub quiz.

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Recalling Andrew's first college course, Mr Stoney said: 'He found university life very difficult, he wanted to come home and Shelagh [his mother] wanted him to come home too, so he came home.

'From day one he was just not prepared for it, I think that was the situation. After a period at home, he got another place at Manchester.

'He effectively took a year off and then thought he would have another go which surprised us. He never really knew what he wanted to do, he had another go.

'We would swap text messages during the week and Skype. He sometimes would get back to us for two days and we would send a message in block capitals saying 'communicate'. He was a little bit moody but I would have never classed it as depression and there was definitely no attempts or even contemplations of suicide.

An inquest in Manchester into his death has now heard how the 19-year-old (pictured) was a gifted and intelligent student but found student life 'very difficult' and struggled with the social scene due to his shyness

'He was just somebody who once he made a decision he would stick to it. He was very good at thinking things through carefully and coming up with a conclusion and once he came up with that it was difficult to change his mind. '

Mr Stoney also told the inquest how death was not a taboo subject within the family.

He said: 'We were open about death but it was more our death than his - a lot of it was stupid stuff about afterlife. It was never a taboo subject or anything like that. Around the Christmas holidays, Andrew was thinking about what he would do for accommodation. He wanted to stay in the halls he was in, he believed that was possible.

'His flat mates were surprised when they found out, they got on well. He used to share Sunday lunch with one and play badminton with another.

'Exams were coming up, accommodation was coming up. He went back to the university a week early because he felt he was not getting into the routine of revision for the exam. He was finding the exams were a little bit different and he needed to lock himself away and get on with it and put himself in the environment where it was work rather than home.'

Andrew went back the week before the new term started and the last day the family swapped any messages was on Thursday, January 14.

By the following Monday, when Andrew's parents had not heard from him, Mrs Stoney contacted the college's welfare department while her husband decided to drive to Manchester.

Shy Andrew , 19, from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, had already dropped out of one university course when he enrolled to do an engineering degree at the University of Manchester (pictured above) last September

Mr Stoney said: 'His flat was on the ground floor so we thought I would bang on the window if I had to. But security broke into the flat as I was driving.

'When I arrived at the university, I was met by a police inspector and the university welfare leader. I was taken into a private room where they explained what happened.'

Elizabeth Davis, a police coroners' officer, said a mobile phone and iPad were found next to Andrew's body.

She told the hearing: 'There was an iPad and iPhone confiscated but they were pass code protected and we hadn't been able to examine the laptop or phone.

'The purpose of that would be to see if they had done research of who they last spoke to.'

Coroner Fiona Borrill recorded a conclusion of suicide and told Andrew's parents: 'We've heard of some areas of Andrew's life and he's been a very gifted boy and hopefully the memories you have of Andrew will get you through.'

Mr and Mrs Stoney declined to comment after the hearing.

For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 116 123, visit a local Samaritans branch or visit their website www.samaritans.org.